Oakland @ Houston preview

Oakland at Houston

Last Meeting ( Jun 14, 2007 ) Oakland 6, Houston 5

The Houston Astros started strong in their first game in the American League West before making dubious history over their next two games. Houston attempts to revive the offense on Friday when they begin a three-game series with the visiting Oakland Athletics. Houston rolled to an 8-2 victory in its season-opening win over the Texas Rangers, but had to break up a perfect-game bid from Yu Darvish with two outs in the ninth on Tuesday.

The Astros struck out 15 times for the second straight game on Wednesday against Alexi Ogando and four relievers in a 4-0 loss, helping the Rangers record the most strikeouts (43) by a team in the first three games of the season since 1900. Oakland isn’t too far removed from its own offensive woes, but accumulated 14 runs and 21 hits over its final two games to salvage a four-game split with the Seattle Mariners. New additions Jed Lowrie and Chris Young hit back-to-back home runs to help Oakland win on Wednesday and Josh Reddick went 2-for-3 with four RBIs in Thursday’s series finale.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, Comcast SportsNet California (Oakland), Comcast SportsNet Houston

PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Dan Straily (2012: 2-1, 3.89 ERA) vs. Astros RH Brad Peacock (0-0, 0.00)

Despite receiving his call to Oakland in early August, Straily led the minors in strikeouts (190) last season – the highest total by an Athletics’ minor-leaguer since 1971. Big-league hitters had a bit more success connecting on his four-pitch arsenal with 11 homers in 39 1/3 innings after he yielded only nine over 152 minor-league innings. The 24-year-old California native enjoyed much more success on the road during his seven-start audition in 2012, going 2-0 with a 1.83 ERA.

Peacock has twice been involved in big trades since the end of the 2011 season, leaving the Washington Nationals for the Athletics in the Gio Gonzalez trade before he was dealt to the Astros in a five-player trade for Jed Lowrie this past offseason. The highest-rated pitching prospect in Oakland’s system before the trade, Peacock struggled in Triple-A last season with a 12-9 mark and 6.01 ERA. Peacock was sharp this spring with a 2.78 ERA and went 2-0 with a 0.75 ERA in three games with the Nationals in 2011.

WALK-OFFS

1. Oakland and Houston will meet for the first time since 2007 – the first series between the clubs.

2. Young became the 20th player in team history to homer in his first game with the team.

3. The Athletics sent LHP Travis Blackley to the Astros in exchange for OF Jake Goebbert on Thursday.

PREDICTION: Athletics 6, Astros 2